Boating accidents increasing in crowded Florida waters
Florida’s increasingly crowded waterways had 694 “reportable” boating accidents in 2025, up from 685 in 2024 and 659 in 2023, according to a state report released Monday. Included in the annual Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Boating Accident Statistical Report were 51 fatalities that were the results of 41 incidents, down from 81 deaths involving 76 accidents in 2024. The report also notes that Florida has nearly 1.03 million registered vessels and up to one million non-registered vessels actively using Florida’s waters. More from the News Service of Florida.
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» Jacksonville leaders promote boating safety as accidents rise statewide
Registration opens for 2026 Florida Python Challenge: What to know
The dates for the 2026 Florida Python Challenge – the annual 10-day hunt for invasive Burmese pythons – were announced today, May 19, with registration now open. The 2026 python hunt will run from July 10, 2026, to July 19, 2026. The hunt helps protect the Florida Everglades habitat from the nonnative snakes that wreak havoc on the ecosystem and native wildlife. Participants can win money prizes in several categories, including a $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize. More from the Gainesville Sun and NBC Miami.
Tampa among top 20 sports business cities as ballpark talks continue
As the Tampa Bay Rays’ ballpark efforts drag on, the Tampa area continues to lure events. The SEC Football Media Days will be in town for the first time in July. The Tampa Bay Lightning’s Benchmark International Arena has hosted multiple college basketball, volleyball and hockey championships, as well the 2022 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships. Raymond James Stadium has hosted Super Bowls, WrestleMania and the NHL Stadium Series (a Sport Business Awards nominee for Event of the Year), and the CFP National Championship game returns in 2029. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Port Canaveral secures $20M federal grant for fuel berth infrastucture
Port Canaveral leaders and elected officials announced a $20 million federal grant has been awarded to rehabilitate two of the Port’s cargo berths used almost exclusively for petroleum tankers crucial to the region's fuel supply chain. The project is expected to begin in early 2027 with a construction timeline of 16-18 months. It will be paid for through a combination of federal, state, and local funding. More from Florida Today.
Looking for official World Cup merch? First store just opened in South Beach
Even as it drizzled, fans lined up outside the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Store at its grand opening Monday, looking to score jerseys, soccer balls and other merch. The store at 1006 Lincoln Rd. in Miami Beach is the first of 40 retail locations across 16 host cities to open ahead of the tournament this summer. Four more stores will open in Miami-Dade County leading up to the tournament. More from the Miami Herald.
Profile
Raccoons, meet your match: Pasco teen’s invention targets the masked bandits
Eva Livingston has a fix for one of suburbia’s most persistent nuisances: the raccoon that treats garbage night like a buffet. The Angeline Academy of Innovation freshman won first place at the Pasco Young Entrepreneur Competition in April for the Bandit Blocker, a weighted sleeve that slides over a trash can lid to keep raccoons and other wildlife out. The win came with prize money and a sponsored spot at a weeklong USF Bulls Startup Camp this summer.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Planting a flag
Alec Hall served for 28 years in the U.S. Air Force, holding nearly a dozen network infrastructure and security roles, based all over the world, and that experience culminated in Alliance Cyber, the Cocoa-based cybersecurity company he founded in 2021. "I had a wide exposure to cybersecurity through the Air Force," he says. "If there was any job related to securing networks, I probably did it at some point." Today, about half of Alliance Cyber's customers are companies that have contracts with government agencies and have to meet stringent data-security standards.
» Read more from Florida Trend.